Ride Safer vest-use with shoulder belt and tether for a 4 yo?

[Anya]

We leave Friday on our trip and just got the vest for my 4.75 yo today. I tried it out and it seems to work great. The only thing I was confused about is that all through the manual, it says use with EITHER lap belt and tether or lap/shoulder belt. But then in one place, it says for children under 6 years, to use the lap belt and tether if there is one. If no lap only belt, then it says use the shoulder belt AND tether, but it only says that in one place. Everywhere else, it just says use the lap shoulder belt.

If she goes with my dh in his car, she'll only be in a lap/shoulder belt with it as his car has no tethers.

While we're traveling, I think the backseat will have all shoulder belt and should have tethers (rental car in UK) so my question is, should we use the tether in addition to the shoulder belt?

[Joolsplus2]

The manual's...um... not clear...

No, the tether's not required as long as you have a shoulderbelt. You'll be fine in a car with no top tether anchor :)

[Anya]

Ok, so its not required. but would it be better to use the tether in addition to the shoulder belt if we are in a car that has shoulder belts and top tethers? or is that a no-no? I thought the manual was saying that for under 6 yo, the tether should be used in addition?

[Joolsplus2]

Yes, if you happen to have a top tether, then go ahead and use it (It's kind of nice actually for a vest you use semi-often, it can stay halfway hooked up to the seatbelt and the tether helps hold it up nicely so the kiddo can wiggle into it).